10 Questions with ... Susan Niles

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

After graduating from college, I started my career at PR firms on Madison Avenue. I worked at corporate, product and entertainment firms in the city. I heard Ricky Skaggs' "Highways & Heartaches" album and headed to Nashville. I worked at Warner Bros. Nashville and rose to Vice President of Publicity. I started my own independent PR firm in 2002.

1) So what's a nice girl like you from Brooklyn doing down here anyway. Seriously Susan, you started at Warner Bros. Records. - how did that all start?

As mentioned, somehow I got turned on to Ricky Skaggs "Highways & Heartaches" album and could not stop playing it. Then the addiction grew to Waylon Jennings, Merle, Janie Fricke and Shelly West and I knew I had to go to Nashville. I didn't have a job but sent out resumes and a fellow New Yorker (Janice Azrak) was the head of WB Publicity at the time and we mutually knew a person who hired me. Ronna Rubin was working there too and she taught me everything or so she says.

2) Did you always want to work in the music industry and if not what did you think you wanted to be when you were a little girl up there in Brooklyn and New Jersey?

I never really thought of the music industry as a career but always knew I wanted to work in showbiz for some reason. It's funny how you make one of the biggest decisions of your life when you're very young. A friend from NY reminded me a few years ago, that I said I was going to do exactly what I've done in my career. Determination is probably the greatest asset to have.

3) You have had your own firm now for 8-years. Do you love working for yourself or is it more difficult?

Yes I do. It's neither easier nor more difficult. It's just different. There are challenges and rewards working for yourself or for a corporation. The benefit of working for yourself is the freedom to work with artists that you want to work with and ones you truly believe in. When you work for a record company it's usually someone else that makes that decision for you. I've been very fortunate for the past eight years to work with some great artists that the major labels hadn't discovered. The independent labels are really signing some great artists.

4) Do you think that the mainstream media is more or less open to Country music than they were when you were starting in the business? Why do you think that is?

Definitely more open. When I arrived in Nashville the mainstream media didn't think Country artists were very cool and continued to consolidate the genres by referring to it as "Country & Western." When I began my job at Warner Bros. the media list had about 25 contacts on it and most contacts were Nashville based. When I left WB I had cultivated the list to well over 2,000. As to why they are more open to Country music, I would have to say the incredible sales that artists like Randy Travis, Dwight Yoakam, Faith Hill and others had in the '80s and '90s and the fact that those artists and others broke the "Country" stereotype as far as their look and style goes. Many of the artists in those decades were influenced by the greats and today's artists are influenced by the artists of the '80s and '90s and so on and so on.

5) What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start their own company?

Have a plan in place and take all meetings. Know that you are partially responsible for another person's career and dream. It's important that you are honest with them and that you are not just taking their money. It's hard to believe there are "PR" people out there who take advantage of artists. I only take on an act or projects when I think I can accomplish something for them.

6) The music industry has changed so much-what things do you wish were the same as they were when you started? And then what about the good changes?

The Friday afternoon dance break. We had a lot of fun times back then. You would always hear music playing in the building. Everyone would be listening to music and make time to hear music. It seems now when you go into a "music" building you hear silence. We had so much fun and so many over-the-top parties. I think the best change would be the delivery systems aka the computer. It's so much easier and faster to get photos or music to a source.

7) You grew up the youngest of 6-siblings-is your family still up in the NY area and do you go see them often (will you bring us pizza next time)?

Actually, they all live on the East coast. I have a sister in Philly. Forget the pizza, let's talk Philly Cheese Steak!

8) Hey Susan you have worked with everyone from Faith Hill, Randy Travis, k.d. lang to Point Of Grace to Sarah Darling. Are there any favorites that you worked with and why?

I've loved working with many artists. I really had a great time with a band called Southern Pacific (former Doobie Bros. and CCR members) that were on WB. They were so far musically ahead of their time. The music was incredible! Randy Travis & Dwight Yoakam were always great to work with too. I would also have to say the Statler Bros. I had the opportunity to work with Don and Harold Reid on their "Random Memories" book a few years ago and they were real pros to work with. Point of Grace is just the most wonderful group to work with too. I love David Ball! Of course, the artists I'm currently working with are my favorites!

9) From your perspective as a publicist, what do you think are the keys to making new artists stand out?

Everyone has a story or a history. I think it's important that you discover who the artist is and try to capture their true personality like they do in their music. A hit single doesn't hurt either.

10) What does Susan Niles Public Relations do for a client? What's your average day like?

My clients ask me the same question. (ha!) The goal is to get exposure and raise the profile for a client. I work very closely with the promotion and marketing team as well as the artist to formulate a plan for that individual and start calling, emailing, writing and sometimes annoying the press.

An average day would be emailing, calling, writing and annoying the press.

1) Your dog is a Delta Society Therapy Dog and you visit Vandy Stallworth Rehab Hospital? That sounds fantastic, tell us about that.

I got involved with the organization through Quarterback Records President Chris Allums who has a Therapy Dog named Ted. I was intrigued by the whole concept and thought what a great thing to do for people in distress. I'm lucky enough to have a dog that has the personality to be a Therapy Dog. River and I have been in the program for six years visiting and the patients really enjoy the visits. It's very rewarding.

2) What's your guilty pleasure?

Vacationing in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos.

3) What is the first concert you ever attended?

I believe it was the Rolling Stones at Madison Square Garden. I took the bus to the Port Authority and then the subway to the Garden and it was an unbelievable concert. It was either that one or seeing David Bowie at Radio City. I remember after the concert waiting by the stage door and he came out and jumped into the limo and turned around and waved to us. I'm still not over it!